Launch of digital platform WAK WAK HAWKER for all things hawker-related

SINGAPORE- MediaOutReach - 9 February 2021 - FUTUREK SG PTE. LTD., a digital creative agencythat works with the latest technology from Japan, launches a new websiteservice, WAK WAK HAWKER (WWH). The platform aims to provide locals andtourists with a comprehensive guide to Singapore's hawker culture andinformation at their fingertips.

Singapore's First Dedicated Digital Platformfor Hawker Centres

WWH bridges information of hawker centresacross the country to become a database which users can quickly access todecide their next meal.  With hawkercentres being hallowed in the Unesco list of Intangible Cultural Heritage ofHumanity in 2020, WWH aims to preserve their legacy by promoting thehistorical, cultural, economic and social value of this national asset.

Users can easily access information abouthawker centres and individual stalls (distinct shops helmed by hawkers), aswell as a Search feature that locates hawker centres from nearby landmarks andfilters stalls based on food category. The UX/UI design of the platform wasonly achieved after extensive research of gourmet and food websites around theworld. The team had only one goal in mind -- "How will the platform help usersto decide where and what to eat?"

The platform is enhanced with insights fromeveryday Singaporeans who view hawker culture as a way of life. Whether theyare diners, hawkers themselves or hawker centre owners, get a glimpse of theirworld through article content based on interviews with these personalities.Along with data about hawker centres and hawker stalls, these feature contentare updated regularly.

Mr Akiyasu Takaseki, Chief Operating Officer atFUTUREK SG and leader of the WWH development project, shares "I often frequenthawker centres since moving here because I found this idea of diningintriguing, and almost disjointed, from my preconception of Singapore as amodern city-state."

"The first time I ever ordered food from ahawker centre, I struggled with understanding the menu, deciding what to order,and communicating with the hawkers since some of them only speak Mandarin.While this ritual gave me anxiety, I found that locals could easily chat up"aunties" and "uncles" at the hawker stalls while ordering their food using acolloquial language that was a mix of English and Mandarin. They would even orderdishes that were not on the menu! There was obviously a "hawker literacy gap"between the locals and me."

He continued, "After a few months, some of the stallowners started to show interest in me and we started chatting. From theseconversations, I learned of the dedication to their craft, their passion forcooking and got insider information such as hidden menu items and new dishesthat they were experimenting with."

As Mr Takaseki delved deeper into hawkerculture and the people behind it, he discovered the magnitude of theirsignificance in the historical and cultural landscape of Singapore. He launchedthe production of WHH with the hopes of sharing the magic of hawker centreswith people everywhere, regardless of their level of hawker literacy.

"WAK WAK" means to "walk around" in Singlish(colloquial Singaporean English) and "excited" in Japanese. WAK WAK HAWKER wascoined to mean exactly that -- for users to walk around hawker centres and getexcited.

"I hope that people try a new hawker cuisine orexplore new hawker centres with the help of the platform. Many Singaporeans maynot be aware of the full significance of hawker centres, so I hope that it servesboth foreigners and Singaporeans and enables them to appreciate hawker cultureeven more."

Key Features of WWH

Besides specialising in hawker culture as agourmet information platform, WWH has some other key features in terms offunctionalities.

1.     Foodiemeets high-tech design

The UX and UI design are intended for users to easilyaccess hawker information they need. The team analysed gourmet websites andimplemented their findings with the reliable technical capabilities of theengineering team.

2.     Accurateinformation backed by on-the-ground research

Who knows hawker centresbetter than the "aunties" and "uncles" at the stalls? Local university studentswere activated to interview these profiles across hawker centres to consolidateaccurate data.

At the time of the launch as of 9th February2021, WWH has information on about 20 hawker centres and about 1,000 stallsacross the island. Data is constantly being updated.

3.     Harvestingdata, one review at a time

WWH allows users to leave a review of up to 300characters and to give a rating based on 5 stars. By amassing information fromthe public and providing rating indications, the platform is given morecredibility and relevance.

More in-house services under WWH are in themidst of development.

To visit WAK WAK HAWKER, please visit: https://wak-wak-hawker.com/en *

*Only for smart devices

Website: https://wak-wak-hawker.com/en

About FUTUREK SG PTE. LTD.

FUTUREK SG is a digital creative company thatresponds to client marketing issues with reliable technology engineering. Thecompany undertakes a large number of digital development operations, not onlyfor advertising promotions that require digital solutions but also for the coreof each client's business, such as development of applications or E-commercewebsites.

https://futurek.sg/